Delhi

Nishant

•15w

I am looking to buy a petrol automatic, preferably a sedan. My on-road budget is ₹20 lakh. What are my options?

Autocar India

•15w

Given your requirement and budget, you currently have four options. The Skoda Slavia and Volkswagen Virtus are mechanically identical, and they stand out for their punchy turbo petrol engine options and ride and handling balance.

The Honda City has a refined 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine and has the best back seat. The Hyundai Verna, meanwhile, has the most features, and it can be had with either a turbo-petrol or a naturally-aspirated petrol engine.

The Slavia, Virtus and Verna have also received a full, 5-star safety rating from Global NCAP.

Explore cars mentioned

Skoda

Slavia

from ₹11.30 Lakh

Volkswagen

Virtus

from ₹12.23 Lakh

Hyundai

Verna

from ₹12.79 Lakh

Honda

City

from ₹13.90 Lakh

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Latest questions people are discussing

Shivathmaja PS

•21h

I am looking to buy a car for my parents, who do not drive, so it will mostly be chauffeur-driven. My main priority is rear seat comfort. We are upgrading from a 2011 Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire. The car will mainly be used for highways and long trips, with minimal city usage. However, I would prefer an automatic transmission in case I need to use it occasionally in the city (Bengaluru). Before starting test drives, I wanted your suggestions on some suitable vehicles. Based on my initial research, I have shortlisted the following options: Honda City ZX CVT Kia Seltos HTX iVT Honda Elevate ZX CVT Škoda Slavia 1.5L Sportline DSG or 1.0 Monte Carlo AT Volkswagen Virtus Topline AT My budget is around ₹20–21 lakh. Which option would you recommend, especially considering rear seat comfort and highway usability?

Autocar India

•15h

Go for the Honda City ZX CVT. For chauffeur‑driven parents, it offers the comfiest rear bench, ample legroom, and a smooth CVT for Bengaluru traffic within your ₹20-21 lakh budget.Rear comfort is its strength: the 2,600 mm wheelbase helps knee-room, the rear seat is well-cushioned with good thigh support, and the ride is tuned soft for long trips. The 506‑litre boot easily swallows luggage for highway runs. ZX adds 6 airbags and ADAS with adaptive cruise control, useful on long highways. The CVT’s smooth creep and no shift‑shock make occasional city use easy. Versus your shortlist, Elevate’s rear bench feels upright, while Slavia/Virtus ride firmer and are more driver‑centric for back‑seat comfort.The one thing you give up is ground clearance in comparison to the Elevate. Also, if getting in and out is a concern, the Elevate's high-set seats would make it easier. A test drive should sort that out. For now, we recommend the City for its hassle-free ownership experience, reliability and most of all, a refined and comfortable cabin.

Deen

Hi Autocar, I own a 2021 Nexon XZA+S Petrol and am now looking for a replacement. My annual running is around 15,000 km, mostly in the city, with decent highway runs every alternate month. We’re a couple with two children under 10. My requirements are an automatic gearbox, family comfort, great driving dynamics, good boot space, and a good music system for long drives. My budget is a maximum of ₹30 lakh OTR in Gurgaon.

Autocar India

•1d

Given your requirements, the Skoda Slavia would be a good option to consider. Within the Slavia range, we would recommend the 1.5-litre TSI engine with the DSG gearbox. This will give you the enthusiastic driving dynamics you want, which frankly, no mid-size SUV can offer. It also has fantastic handling manners and is extremely stable on the highways. The bootspace at 521 litres is massive, and it has a good ground clearance to clear most of our badly built roads.In the city, the Slavia also gets cylinder deactivation that helps save fuel, and it is light and breezy to manoeuvre. Also, the music system in the Slavia is one of the best stock systems out there. It is punchy, clear and feels properly high-end. If you're an audiophile, you will enjoy it compared to any other car or SUV south of Rs 30 lakh.

Skoda Slavia

Nano

•3d

I am looking for an upgrade. Does it make sense to buy the 3XO, coming from a Honda City? Please suggest. (Also open to other options)

Autocar India

•1d

If an upgrade necessarily means a larger car for you, the Mahindra 3XO won't be the right move after a Honda City. You'd be best served by midsized SUVs, which measure between 4.3 and 4.5m. Of the current crop of mid-sized SUVs, the Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta and Tata Sierra are the best-rounded. The new-gen Renault Duster that launches on March 17 also has promise.If vehicle size isn't a dealbreaker, the Mahindra XUV 3XO is a good pick. It's got powerful petrol engines, feels solid, and ride and handling are also impressive. The interior is also spacious for what is a compact SUV, and higher-spec versions pack in loads of equipment too. In fact, a fully-loaded 3XO is better equipped than a fully-loaded City.Within the compact SUV segment, you could also consider the Hyundai Venue, which is a well-rounded package.

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